Quick lock-up for plate cylinders



Feb. 7; 1928. 1,658,033

R. A. BELL QUICK LOCK-UP FOR PLATE CYLINDERS Filed Dec. 4, 1925 3Sheets-Sheet l "1" x I I I u Feb. 7,' 1928. I 1,658,033

R. A. BELL I QUICK LOCK-UP FOR PLATE CYLINDERS- F-iled Dec. 4. 1925 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Ia -1a /5 M 15 a fifi Wo I E TOR. Y m

.ATTOfi Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE. it

ROBERT A. BELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GOSS PRINTING PRESSCOM PANY, A oonronn'rron or ILLINOIS.

QUICK LOCK-U]? non PLATE CYLINDERS.

. Application filed December 4, 1925. Serial m m.

My invention relates to printing presses, and more particularly to aquick lock-up for plate cylinders, in which the clips can be quicklychanged to different positions, to

correspond with different ninnbers oi' columns, or sheet widths, whichmay be desired to be printed on a newspaper, or other printed product.

Objects'andadvantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypracticewith the invention, the same being realized and attainedby meansof the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appendedclaims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions,arrangen'ients, combinations, articles of manufacture, and improvementsherein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting aparthereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together withthe description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of the end of a plate cylinder,showing a printing plate locked in position;

i Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of a part of the printing platecylindershown in Fig.1, a portion of the cylinder being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, substantially on the line 3-3of Fig. 2, through the plate cylinder, showing the clips adjusted for aseven column paper, or other printed product;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section, similar to. Fig. 3, butshowing the parts adjusted to print a six column newspaper, or otherprinted product;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing one of the clip rods in itsunlocked position;

Fig. 6 isa sectional view on line6-6 of Fig. 3.

In printing a newspaper, or other printed product, it is frequentlynecessary to change the clips, holding the plates on the cylinder, sothat a. newspaper, or other printed prod uct, of a difierent number ofcolumns can be printed. For purposes of lllustrationl Wlll refer to Fig.3 as showing the posltion of the parts to print a newspaper of sevencolumns, and Fig. 4the position of the clips to print a newspaper, orsimilar product, of

six columns. While I willrefer to printed,

columns. It is also adapted to make adjustment for different columnwidths; for example for a sheet of 8 columns, 12 ems,to a sheet of 8.columns, 13 ems, or any other suitable adjustment can be made.

In the form of my invention, shown by way of illustration, 1 is anysuitable form of plate cylinder upon which is secured the printing plate2 by the outer clips 3, 3 four such clips being shown in Fig. 1.Cooperating with these outer clips 3, 3 are the inner clips 4, 4, onebeing shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It is understood that there arefour ofsuch inner clips 4 for each printing plate, making eight clips in allfor each printing plate.

Mounted on the periphery of the plate cylinder 1 are a plurality oflongitudinally extending grooves 5 within each of which slide an outer.and an inner clip 3 and 4, and also a clip rod 6, which is preferablynon? circular. This clip rod is provided with different locking orengaging surfaces, two sets 7, 7 and 8, 8 being shown by way ofillustration, to correspond with the particu lar widths ofsheets whichit is desired to.

print. Preferably, though not, necessarily, these locking or engagingsurfaces 7, 7 and 8, 8 on the clip rod 6, are formed as locking groovesto cooperate with locking members carried by the outer clip 3 and theinner clip 4. These locking members, which are shown by way of:illustration, are pivoted pawls 9, and have a head. 10, a handle 11, anda pivot 12, preferably formed by the heads 13,1301 screws 14, 14 which,are screwed into the end of the pawl (Fig.6) and form trunnionssupporting the pawl in a transverse bearing 15 in the outer clip 3.

The inner clip 4 is substantially the same as the outer clip 3, exceptthat, it is also providedwith a longitudinally extending slot 16, withinwhich the heads 13, 13 of the screws 14, 14 aremounted. The position ofthe pivot of the inner pawl 17, along the slot .16 is determined by anadjustable set screw 18, (Figs. 3 and 4:), to be more fully hereinafterdescribed.

The end; of the clip rod 6- is provided with male screw threads 19,cooperating with female screw-thr ads in the sleeve or thimble 20,.which sleeve, is provided. with. a. square end 21 to engage with. anysuitable form of tool. The lock-up plate 22, supported by the guidestud-s 1-00, 100,, is recessed to receive the end of'the clip rod 6 andalso the sleeve 201 This'sleeve is provided with a shoulder 23 againstwhich bears a coil spring 24,. the other end of the: spring engagingwith an end plate 25, which: is

secured to the face of the lockup! plate 22 by the screws 26,. 26 (Fig;2),. there being, in the form shown, a separate end plate for each clip:rod 6. and its complementary parts. @111 the sleeve-.201 mount a collar-2? for a purpose to be more fully liereinatter de scribed.

' Assuming that the plate cylinder 1. is to print from an inner plate 28as well as'l ronr an outerprintingplate 2, and that the newspaper, orother printing product, is :lor'

example to have seven columns, my lock-up will: be in: the positionshown: in Fig. 3, in which the innen plate 28 cooperates with the fixedcenter clip 29', and with the movable inner 4s and the outer clip 3 anouter plate 2 is used, I preferablyrender the pawl lzl, on the innerclip 41,. inoperative by unthrea'ding the set screw 18* suificiently toleave a clearance 30 between the head 81 of that pawl and the shoulder32 on the clip rod 6, for a: purpose to be more fully hereinafterdescribed.

plate, cylinder 1 By placing the key 39' in; the seat450, formed for itsreception in the end oil the shaiit 34 theloclt-upplate 22 is caused tomove to: or from the plate cylinder toaotuate the different clip rods 6,

6 to lock or' unlock the different plates carried the plate cylinder.

When the key'39 is operated, in the manner just described, to lock. theouter printing plate 2 and the inner plate 28 to print a newspaper, forexample, having seven columns, the partswill be in the position: shownin Fig." 3', where the spring 24: is compressed between the end plateand the shoulder 23 on thesleeve 20, thereby iimnly but yieldinglypressing the non-cirmilar clip rod 6 to the" right and into the positionshown in Fig. 3, the shoulder 42 on. the clip: rod 6 engaging'with thehead 10 of the pawl 9 on the movable clip This transmits the lockingspring" pressure from the clip rod 6 to themovable clip 3, thence totheouterpnihting plate 2*, and through that lVhen:

plate 2 to the inner clip 4-, inner printing plate 28, and to fixedcenter clip 29.

c It will be noted that in this position of the parts the set screw 18has been so adjusted that there is a space between the heat 31 of thepawl 1? on the inner clip +1, and the shoulder 82 on the clip rod (3, sothat as these two parts do not engage, the pawl 17 p 'acticallyinoperative in this locking position, thereby permitting the entirestrain of the locking spring 2-lto be transmitted through the outer andinner printing plates to thecenler fixed clip 29.

To release the printing plates 2 and 28 the eccentric lock-up operatedby the hey .39 in the opposite direction to permit the columns.

ln unlocking the eccentric loch-up and with more particular reference toFig. 5, it will be seen that when the spring 24: releasedit will have atendency to force the end plate 25 and the loch-up plate 22, on which itis mounted, so far to the left in Fig. 5. that: the surface i lon thelooksup plate 22 would engage with. the surface l3 on the shoulder ofthe sleeve or lhimlilc 20, were it not prevented from doing $0..

To prevent these two surfaces in and ell irom. contacting with richother, 1 mount the collar 2? on the sleeve 20, which collar passesfreely in the opening i6 in the end plate The coil spring 2% istFlllllClGJlhl) large that it not only engages with the interior surfacel? of the end plate 25,. but also with the inner surface of the collar4-5, when the parts are unlocked as shown in Fig. This collar 2"? isadjusted by the set screw to a position on the sleeve so" the t it willengage the spring 2-lbefore the spring can bring the surface ll on thelocleup plate 22' into contact with the surface -l-Il on the sleeve 20,leaving a space or clearance elf) as sh. tn in Fig. 5.

This is particularly de irable for it these two surfaces l3 and ellcontacted with each other under the action of the spring 2 so muchfriction would be developedat this point that it would be dillicnlt fora hand.

Ito

Iii

lifll lll U 7 columns,

tion to cooperatewith the clips which are movablefby hand along the cliprods for the different widths of sheet or number of columns to beprinted.

With the clip rods 6 permanently adjusted, as shown forexample in Fig.3, and it is desired to print a newspaper, or other printed product, ofa less number of columns, as for example six columns, all that isnecessary is for the operator to lift the pawls 9 and 17 by theirhandles l1, l1, and slide the clips along the clip rods 6, from theposition shown in Fig-3, to that shown in Fig. i, so: that pawls 9 and17 will be removed from the notches 7 7 and relocated in the notches 8,8, in the same clip rod 6, so as to hold the smaller outer plate 2 andinner plate 28 in the position shown in Fig. 4. This change can bemadevery quickly, so that plates having a different number of columns may bequickly locked by the lockup plate 22 in the manner previouslydescribed. "Alfter printing from the plates having, for example, sircolumns, the plate cylinder can almost instantly be changed to printfrom plates of, for example, seven columns, by simply sliding the pawls9 and 17 with their respective clips 3 and a back to their originalpredetermined looking or engaging surfaces 7, 7. While, of course, forpurposes of description I have referred to a newspaper, or other printedproduct, of six and seven columns, it is, of course, to be understood,that by properly arranging the engaging surfaces 7, 7 and 8, 8 in theclip rods 6 that sheets of eight, seven or six columns may be printed,or that the columns may have different widths, as for example, a sheetof 8 columns 12 ems, and a sheet of 13 ems, all as previously pointedout.

When it is-desired to operate the plate cylinder 1 without an outerplate2, this can readily be done for the pressure of the lock-up spring24 will be transmitted through the clip rod 6, which will cause theshoulder 32 of the clip rod 6 to bear directly against the head 31 ofthe pawl 17 when the eccentric lock-up is operated to lock the innerplate 28.

When the plate 28 is unlocked, the releasing surface 55 on the clip rod6 will. be brought into engagement with the cooperating surface 56 onthe pawl. 17, which will draw the inner clip t away from the inner plate28, permitting that plate to be lifted off of the plate cylinder 1without interference. Each set of locking or engaging surfaces 7, 7 and8, 8 is provided with similar releasing surfaces 55, to cooperate withsimilar surfaces 56 on their respective cooperating .pawls.

In the specification and claims, reference has been made to differentnumber of columnsor different column widths, as well as to differentnumber of columns or width of sheet to be printed. It is to beunderstood that these terms are meant to, and do cover different lengthsof stereotype plates regard less of the width of sheet, or the width ofprinted matter, or the number of columns. It is clear that you can printany number of columns with the same length plate and with the same widthof printed matter and the same width of sheet by varying the widths ofthe columns. It is also possible to vary the width of the printed matterwithout varying the length of the stereotype plates or the width of theprinted sheet. In such case the width of the margin would vary, as forexample, by casting a blank margin on the end of the stereotype plates.By arranging the printed matter and blank margin on the stereotypecastings, it would be possible to print on different widths of sheetswithout varying the length of the plates. Again stereotype plates arenot always cast with the columns transverse to the exis of the printingcylinder. They are often cast with the columns running parallel with theaxis of the cylinder. In such cases the width of the printed matterwould become the length of the columns, and a shorter or longer columnmight necessitate a shorter or longer plate. All these uses are, and aremeant to be, included in the claims.

The invention'in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificmechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefromwithin the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from theprinciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

hat I claim is 1. The combination of a quick lock-up for plate cylindersincluding a plate cylinder provided with clip locking means properlySPZLJQCl for papers having different number of columns, and clips havingmeans to cooperate with said clip locking means.

2. The combination of a quick lock-up for plate cylinders including aplate cylinder provided with clip locking means properly spaced forpapers having different number of columns, means to adjust the cliplocking means, and clips having means to cooperate with said cliplocking means.

3. The combination of a quick lock-up for plate cylinders including aplate cylinder provided with locking means properly spaced for papershaving different number of columns, clips having means to cooperate withsaid locking means, and means to lock said clips to said locking meansin position to secure a plate.

4;. The combination of a quick lock-up for plate cylinders including aplate cylinder provided with locking means properly spaced for papershaving different number" lUU i the combination of colun'ins, means toadjust the clip locking means, clips having means to cooperate with saidlocking means, and means to lock said clips to said locki g iii-cans inposition to secure a plate.

In a quick lock-up for plate cvlii the combination of a plate is ider, aclip rod. having d1 ferent locl'in surfaces to correspond with diflierernil, of colu ns 1C L l r or Width of sheet to he prim clips, means onthe clips to coope 'ate with the lock up surfaces on, the clip rod, andmeans to locl;

the clips in pos 'ti 6. in a (prick lo plate cylinders,

a clip faces erent h of sheer, clips, in the proper loci:-

rod provided if properly a. numherof co means to secure the clipsingposition' on the clip rod for the partici la'r number of columns t mans to lo la the clips an iron to semre a plate.

1- 0 lie printed, and d clip rod in porn- 7. In, quick lock-up for docylinders, 3 the combination o' a plate oader, a clip rodprovided withdifferen incl-:in su faces properly arranged for p i l number ofcolumns, or ivid' means to secure the clips i ing position on the cliprod for the lar number of columns to be printed, to adjust the clip rod,and in loci;

the clips and clip rod in position to secure a plate.

8. The

ans to Width of saeet plate to lock the clip rods and clips.

9. The combination in a quick lock-upfor plate cylinders, of a platecylinder a plurality of clip rods having; different loci-:- in vsurfaces to correspo nl with different number of columns or wi sheet heprinted, a plurality of clips, pi ed 5 meals on the clips to cooperatewith the chii'erent looting surfaces the clip ml: for different number0" or Widh V i: E of sheet be printed, out a loci-sup plate to loci: theclip rods and 10. The COlYllJlilfil'lOll in quick lock-up for pl teCfyillllflil, of a plate cylinder, a

rod"; ha

1 of sheet, to the clip rods, ins on the possess ing s nfaces adapted tocooperate with clips.

12. i new article-of manufacture compris inc "lip for a plate cylinderprii'itiin press p1 ed with pivoted loclriug means, paid pivotedlocking); means havinrr a handle movi! J pivotally therewith.

1i. new rticle of mamrl'acliure ('()il1})1lsif a clip for a. plate cinder printing; press 'ivi'ded vvith a locking; dog; pivoted to fall elvinto engagement ivith lucliiinr surfa :es

'l b the plate r vlinder.

A new article of manufacture comm-isi for a plate cylinder printingpress c with a lockina' dog; to engage loch- 1 surfaces carried by theplate cyliinler, one. lO lUnQ' doe; being provided with a haiole formanual naunpulatmn.

4 A 1 GW article of manafar-tare comprisclip for a plate cylinderprinting press :Wx (on with pivoted locking means. and meme to ad ustthe pivoted locking}; means Wi'h relation to the clip.

16. A new article of manufacture comprising a clip for a plate cylinderprinting; pro provided with a pivoted lochiinr dog: to engage locking;surfaces carried hr the plate cylinder, the pivot of said locking;- dogheinoadjustable.

17. The combination in a clip for a plate cylinder printing pressprovided with pivoting slots for a pivoted locking pawl, a pivotedlockingpawl pivoted in said slots. and means to ary the position of saidpivoted locking pawl along said pivoting slots.

1 The combination in a clip for a, plate cylinder p inting orersprovided with pivoting slots for a pivoted locking pa \vl, a pivot' onlooking pawl pivoted in said slots, and a set screw to vary the positionof said pivoted locking; pawl along said pivoting slots.

19. In. a quick lock-up for plate cylinders, the combination or a platecylinder. :1 plurality of clip rods having dillj'ercut sets of lockingsurfaces for papers of different, number of columns or width of sheet tobe printed, clips, locking means between the clips and the lockingsurfaces on lhe clip rods, a lock-up plate, and means to ind pendently l'iisteach clip rod.

20. In a quick lock-up for plate cylinders, the combination of a. platecylinder, a plurality of clip rods having different sets of ill) eas esand the locking surfaces on the clip rods,

a sleeve secured on the end of each clip rod, a lock-up plate, and aspring mounted between the lock-up plate and the sleeve.

21. In a quick lock-up for plate cylinders,

the combination of a plate cylinder, a plurality of clip rods havingdifferent sets of locking surfaces for papers of different number ofcolumns or width of sheet to be printed, outer and inner clips, providedwith locking means to cooperate with the locking surfaces on the cliprods, and means to render the locking means on the inner clipsinoperative when an outer printing plate is mounted on the platecylinder.

22. In a quick lock-up for plate cylinders, the combination of a platecylinder, a plurality of cliprods having different sets of lockingsurfaces for papers of different number of columns or width of sheet tobe printed, outer and inner clips, provided with locking means tocooperate with the locking surfaces on the clip rods, and adjustablemeans to render the locking means on the inner clips inoperative when anouter printing plate is mounted on the plate cylinder.

23. In a quick lock-up for plate cylinders, the combination of a platecylinder, at plu rality of clip rods having different sets of lockingsurfaces for papers of different number of columns or width of sheet tobe printed, outer clips provided, with locking means to cooperate withthose on the clip rods, an inner clip providedwith adjustable lockingmeans to cooperate with the locking surfaces on the clip red when noouter printing plate is used on the plate cylinder to secure the innerprinting plate to the cylinder, and when an outer printing plate is usedadapted to be adjusted to permit the inner printing plate to be clampedthrough the outer printing plate.

24. in a quick lock-up for plate cylinders, the combination of a platecylinder, a plurality of clip rods having difi'erent sets of lockingsurfaces for papers of different number of columns or width of sheet tobe printed, outer clips provided with locking means to cooperate withthose on the clip rods, an inner clip provided with adjustable lockingmeans, including a pivoted member and a set screw, to cooperate with thelocking surfaces on the clip rod when no outer printing plate is used onthe plate cylinder to secure the inner printing plate to the cylinder,and when an outer printing plate is used adapted to be adjusted topermit the inner printing plate to be clamped through the outer printingplate.

25. A new article of manufacture for printing presses comprising anangular clip rod provided with different locking surfaces to correspondto different number of columns or width of sheet to be printed, saidlocking surfaces adapted to cooperate with clips, and an adjustablesleeve mounted on the clip rod.

26. The combination in a quick lock-up for plate cylinders, of a platecylinder, a plurality of non-circular clip rods having different lockingsurfaces to correspond with different number of columns or width ofsheet to be printed, a plurality of clips, locking means on the clips tocooperate with the diiferent locking surfaces on the clip rods, saidclip rods and locking means on the clips having cooperating releasingmembers to release the clips from the plates when the plates areunlocked, and a lock-up plate to lock the clip rods and clips.

in testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificationnonnn'r A, BELL.

